Mountain Ghost Stories

Copied a few days back from the intro to Mountain Ghost Stories of Western Carolina at Elmer's Sunnybank Inn, which - shockingly - I picked up to read (good stuff):

"The stories contained in this book have one important thing in common, an intimate association with a particular place. It is our goal that these tales serve to enrich one's own association with that place, whether visiting the mountains of Western North Carolina, remembering them, or taking up residence among their rocky valleys and forested peaks. Many faraway lives are represented there, but each life can still be felt by stepping out of a car and placing a hand upon a tree or a foot upon a trail, or by pausing briefly in the fragrant morning or evening air at a scenic overlook among these magical mountains."

Just liked it and felt appropriate. Fell asleep to the sound of trains passing through next to the Nolichucky River last night. Anywho, as I leave Erwin today I'll be heading north towards Hampton, TN and Damascus, VA. Hoping 'trail magic' will pick up a bit as we get closer to the trail days festival. Trail magic are those wonderful wonderful surprises left for you by former thru-hikers, local hiking clubs, or aaanyone looking to throw a thru-hiker a bone. Sometimes they'll leave a big plastic bin in the middle of the woods with cupcakes in it or they'll set up a grill at a gap to serve up free burgers for an afternoon. It's pretty serious excitement. I think my most favorite was the cold Natty Ice I found on a sign post in Plum Orchard Gap, GA. Turns out it was left there by a fellow thru-hiker who acquired a case in a supermarket parking lot when a van rolled up and the fellow inside said he had confiscated some beers from his 16 year-old and asked if they wanted them...cause he sure as hell wasn't going to drink Natty Ice.

Magic.

So yeah things are still well. At mile 370 and pushing on to sweet sweet Virginia.